The nurses strike begins: What you need to know



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The New Zealand Nurses Organization (NZNO) rejected the latest wage offer from its DHB employers and is on strike for 24 hours. Here's all you need to know:

  The nurses began demonstrating at Wellington Hospital.

The nurses began demonstrating at the Wellington Hospital.
Photo: RNZ / Richard Tindiller

Who is on strike?

  • Up to 29,500 nurses, midwives and nurses working for District Health Boards.
  • It is estimated that these people account for 60 to 70% of the hospital workforce of DHBs. Canterbury DHB estimates that 90% of its nursing workforce is eligible for a strike
  • In total, the Nurses Union (NZNO) has 50,000 members, of which 29,500 are covered by the Multi-Employer Collective Agreement (MECA) Nurses and Midwives hospital women employed by the DHB

When does this happen?

  • From 7am to 7am tomorrow

Why are they on strike?

  • The last offer increased the minimum wage increase that nurses would receive from 9% to 12.5%, but delays the deadline for wage increases to take effect.
  • The DHB and the Government maintained that there was more
  • The Nurses Organization recommends the increase of the offer, which includes salary increases from 12.5 to 15.9 p. 100, spread over 25 months
  • . called because the DHB offer has been improved and the NZNO has recommended to its members to accept it.
  • "The problems encountered and reported by our members are the result of a decade of underfunding of our public hospitals that have failed to meet the growing needs of the population. Cee Payne, NZNO Industrial Services Manager
  • Lack of Confidence in DHBs is a Big Problem for Nurses
  • NZNO Needs a Simple Majority to Reject Last Wage Offer
  • Although the organization never publishes voting statistics, she says the vote this week was closer than the last time
  • Nurses have not gone on strike for 30 years
.

Protesters gather in front of Auckland Hospital.
Photo: RNZ / Nita Blake-Persen

What was the offer refused by the nurses?

  • Members of the Nurses Organization rejected the fourth offer by the DHB on Monday.
  • The offer redistributed available funding, raising the minimum increase from 9% to 12.5% ​​but over a longer period, more than 25 months or until August 2020
  • ] The DHBs also indicated that they would begin to immediately recruit 500 additional full-time employees
  • The offer also provided for a date – December 31, 2019 – for the implementation of equity in an esteemed package Industrial Services Manager Cee Payne says nurses go on strike Thursday “/>

    Industrial Services Manager Cee Payne announced Tuesday that nurses will go on strike today. hui.
    Photo: RNZ / Richard Tindiller

Are all nurses satisfied with the decision to strike?

Who will cover?

  • Nurses who are unionized and others are "nurse responders". agreed to provide vital vital services for the strike. This is a legal obligation during a strike.
  • The coverage of nurses who provide life preservation services, but who become sick and can not work during the strike, will be provided through separate emergency procedures. public that patient and public safety is paramount at all times.

How many transactions have been reported?

  • To reduce demand in public hospitals, DHBs have non-urgent or non-urgent surgical procedures. All outpatient appointments – hundreds for each hospital – were also canceled Thursday to free staff for other things on the day of the strike
  • Anne Aitcheson, DHB's chief emergency planner, said Wednesday between 3500 and 3700 elective procedures will probably be postponed, to be reprogrammed later. John Tait, chief medical officer at Capital and Coast DHB, said nationwide appointments will have to be delayed from 6,000 to 8,000 on Tuesday.

What's going on in a situation like this? Emergency like an earthquake?

  • Emergency plans approved by the DHB Nursing Union and Emergency Planners would cover this possibility

Tips for Anyone in Need of Care:

  • People who had an appointment for today should be contacted. Call your general practitioner or general medical team for advice if needed, or call 111.
  • DHB also told the public to have access to emergency and urgent care – by going directly to emergency department of the hospital. And they urged those who need such help not to stay away from the hospital at the expense of their health.

Where to leave from here?

  • At this stage, there are no more reported strikes. the parts. During a strike, longer-term considerations take precedence over hospital management during the strike
  • The nurses said that they remain available.
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